What's Havdalah?

A Havdalah Primer for you and your family....

What's Havdalah?

On Saturday night there is a ceremony that ends Shabbat and begins the new week. We began Shabbat by lighting candles and blessing wine (or grape juice). And we end Shabbat when we put a candle out by dipping it in wine. The name of this ceremony is havdalah, which means to make a distinction. Havdalah marks the difference between Shabbat and the rest of the week. 

Why do you think making this distinction is so important?

How do we do Havdalah?

Like most Jewish ceremonies, the havdalah ritual is very simple. We recite (or sing) four blessings: over a cup of wine (or grape juice), over spices, over fire, and over the moment itself. As we recite each blessing we bring our attention to whatever we are blessing: we raise the wine cup, smell the spices, hold our fingers up to the light. After we have recited the final blessing, we take a sip of the wine and extinguish the havdalah candle in the wine. The hiss of the candle going out tells you Shabbat has ended and the week has begun. Often we celebrate this moment by singing songs about Elijah, a prophet who, we are told, will bring news of everlasting world peace. 

Why do you think the havdalah ceremony has us use all of our senses?

But what does it mean?

Havdalah asks us to make distinctions between what is holy (like Shabbat) and what is ordinary (like the weekdays). When we keep our eye out for distinctions like this, we actually pay better attention to what we are experiencing in life.

What is the difference between a holy thing and an ordinary thing?

Homework before Havdalah with FLP

Become a havdalah expert! Practice reciting each of the four blessings with your family:

The Blessing over Wine or Grape Juice

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּֽפֶן.

Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha’olam, boray pri hagafen.

Blessed are You, God, our Lord, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

The Blessing over Spices

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְשָׂמִים.

Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha’olam, boray minay vesamim.

Blessed are You, God, our Lord, King of the universe, Creator of the different spices.

The Blessing over the Candle

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ.

Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha’olam, boray me’oray ha’aysh.

Blessed are You, God, our Lord, King of the universe, Creator of the fire’s lights.

The Blessing over Havdalah

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמַּבְדִיל בֵּין קֹֽדֶשׁ לְחוֹל, בֵּין אוֹר לְחֹֽשֶׁךְ, בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַמִּים, בֵּין יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לְשֵֽׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, הַמַּבְדִיל בֵּין קֹֽדֶשׁ לְחוֹל.

Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha’olam, hamavdil bayn kodesh lechol bayn or lechoshech bayn Yisrael la’amim bayn yom hashevi’i leshayshet yemay hama’aseh. Baruch atah, Adonai, hamavdil bayn kodesh lechol.

Blessed are You, God, our Lord, King of the universe, who separates between the holy and the profane; between the light and dark; between Israel and the other nations; between the seventh day and the six days of the week. Blessed are You, God, who separates between the holy and the profane.